Fluid regulator



Mar. 27, 1928.

T. W. HUNTER.

FLUID REGULATOR.

FILED JULY 6.1921.

Inn/auto?" T wmas Wjimnier 33/ i W I UNI TED an control for fluids.

Patented Mar. 27 1923.

i I moins w. 111mm, or mm, canrromn.

- FLUID nneumro'n;

T 0 all whomit may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS W. HUNTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the -,county of Alameda and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fluid Regulators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a fluid regulator and particularly pertains to" a thermostat Heretofore it has been common to. thermostatically regulate the flow of a fluid by the expansion and contraction of metal discs between which the volume of light gravity liquid isenclose'd, said expansion and contraction operating a valve member usually passing through a stufiing gland. Due to the friction of the packing upon the valve stem, the thermostat does not act sensitively and often sticks.

cates.

It is a principal object of the present invention, therefore, to provide an operating means for the thermostat, and packing means for the reciprocating valve stem, whereby the valve will be sensitive at all times to the influence of the thermostat and will be instantly relieved when the pressure of the thermostat is discontinued.

The invention contemplates the use of an expansion thermostat acting against a valve stem, said valve stem being. secured .to a

yieldable metal diaphragm, and this diaph'ragm'in turn being secured to a similar.

diaphragm through which the stem passes and which second diaphragm is fastened to the; bearing within which the stemrecipro- The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing in which- Thefigure is a view in vertical section and elevation showing the complete invention.

The regulating device, as here shown, has been designed for use in connection with poultry raising appliances, such as incubators and brooders, to regulate the flow of fuel to their heating device, although it will *be understood that the details of construction of the present invention might be readily used in connection with other thermostat re lating apparatus. 4

' n the drawing indicates a yoke frame .member having vertically aligned bearings 11 and 12, the upper'bearing .12 carrying a threaded stem 13 adapted tobe rotated by a pin ThlS stem is fitted with washers 15 between which a compression spring 16 is Application filed m 6, 1921. Serial a. 482,645.

disposed. The threaded stem 13 is formed with a central bore17 which receives an upwardly' projecting pin 18 of a thermostat diaphragm structure 19. This arrangement is of conventional design, being formed by sets of circumferentially corrugated discs 20 which are united along their edges to form intermediate compartments in which a highly volatile liquidmay be placed. The lower end of the diaphragm structure rests upon the upper end of a floating valve member 21.

This end of the valve is exteriorly threaded Y to receive a threaded sleeve 22. The lower 'end of the said stem is formed with a conical point 23 to seat upon a conical valve seat 24. A sleeve 25 is loosely mounted around the valve stem and rests against the upper face of the lower frame bearing 11. This bearing is interiorly threaded to receive a boss 26 of a casing member 27. This boss has a central bore 28 therethrough.

The valve stem 21 is adapted to reciprocate throug this bore and it is preferred to form the bore of a diameter somewhat larger than the stem so that there will be no frictional engagement between the surfaces of the bore and the stem. The casing member 27 is convexed and is complementary toa similarly formed casing member 29, the two being secured together at points around their circumference by bolts 30. The lower casing member 29 is formed with an upwardly ex-' tendingboss 31. This boss is formed with a small shoulder 32 to project into an. opening in a circumferentially corrugated diaphragm member 33. This diaphragm .member is:

similar in its construction to the ones used for the thermostat control, although inthe present instance it'is provided as apacking means for the valve stem. The diaphragm. member 33, which is soldered or otherwise secured to the end of the boss 31, is secured along its circumferential edge to an upper corrugated diaphragm 34. This diaphra is fixed to the valve stem and, as the va ve stem projects through the central opening in the lower dia hragm member 33, the stem will be yielda ly held as supported by the uppen diaphragm member 34. An lnternally threaded boss 35 is formed in longitudinal alignment with the boss 33 and receives the threaded extension 36 of a valve housing 37. -'H1is housing is formedwith an inlet connection 38 and an-outlet connection 40. A feed pipe 41 is threaded into the connection 38 and a supply pipe 42 is threaded into 4 leading to adesired apparatus, such as a fuel 1 adjust the valve stem and to determine the I5- influenced by the temperature of the sur- Said fioatin the connection 40. Interposed between the very sensitive the apparatus is assembled as shown, pipes 41 and 46 connected to a suitable supround the open end of said chamber, a secvTh th r t t 0nd dlaphragm secured to the marginal edge 4 thermostatic adjustment may two connections is a horizontally disposed be provided, and that while .insuring that partition wall 43. This wall is formed with the valve will not stick, andat the'same time the tapered valve opening 24, previously the effective movement of the valve may be mentioned. A T connection 44" is secured accurately regulated. to the pipe42 and forms an air vent when Whlle Ihave shown starting the flow of liquid or gas through y 1 1V I1fi10n,

the apparatus. The upper leg of this T is ri IIS Changes may be made by the preferred formof it is to be understood that vathose skilled ided ith a removable l g 45, hil in the art without departing from the spirit the lower end receives the sup-ply pipe 46 0f the iIlVeIlfiOIl- Having thus described my invention what b I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat- In order to make it possible to accurately sub is: c

1. .A thermostatically controlled regulatinfluence' of the thermostat diaphragm 19 1 ing Valve comprising a valve housing havthereon, a. helical spring 47is disposed being induction and eduction connections, an

1 tween the shoulder of' the threaded stem sleeve 22 and washer 25.

intermediate partition wall between saidconnections and having an opening formed therethrough, a floating valve member adaptat the same time ed By this arrangement the amount of movement possible for the valve is determined, and

stick.

housing having a chamber therein with an In the operation 0 f h t'i tio open outer end through which said floating d th valve member extends, a diaphragm secured ply and outlet apparatus. I is then disposed in a desired po iti t b of said first diaphragm and through whi h rounding atmosphere. The threaded sleeve SBC'OIId iap r gm being secured around the 22 i th Screwed d t th Stem, th said floating valve member approximately to co-operate with said opening to conit 111 b i ed th t th valve h ll n t trol the flow of fluid therethrough,'said valve valve member extends, said d t ining the range of movem t f th at the center thereof,-said diaphragms constivalve. Attention is directed to forming of air bubbles in the pipe line. At-

th f t th t tutin a frictionless support and guide for this adjustment .of the threaded sleeve does d fi t ng Valve member and also packing not materially affect the tension of the commeans for the open end of the saidchamber, pression pring 47, :{s this spring merely" a frame rigidly supported from saidvalve holds the sleeve in its adjusted position, and lng, an'adjusting member carried by the, at the same time automatically lifts the frame in longitudinal alignment with the valve point from its seat when the thermostat diaphragms contract,'thus insuring that and away therefrom, and a thermosensitive the valve will not stick on. its seat. The diaphragm interposed between the adjusting threaded stem 13 may then be tightened "memberand the end of the floating valve down against the diaphragm toregulate the member. efl'ective movement of the diaphragm; In 2.;A thermostatically controlled regulatthe event that .a li uid fuel is used, the 111 Valve c mprising a valve housing having threaded plug 45 is t on removed from the i ct onv an educti c n ons, an in- T and the liquid allowed to flow through thetermediate partition wall between said conpipe 41, upwardly'through the tapered valve nections and having; an opening. formed opening 24 and from thence through the pipe therethrough, a floatingvalve member adapt- 42 and T 44 to the pipe 46. When these edto-co-operate with said opening to control pipes have all been filled the plug 45 is again the flow of fluid ftherethrough, said valve threaded into position. This will prevent the 4 open outer end through which said floating tention is directed to the fact that the oil valve memberextends, a diaphragm secured within thevalve housing 37 may fill the bore around the open 'end of said chamber, a sec through'which the valve stem extends and 'omi'diaphragm secured to the. marginal edge also fill the space between the diaphragm of said'first'diaphragmand through which members 33 and 34. As the liquid'has a very said floating valve member extends, said secsmall pressure,as compared with the action 0nd diaphragm being secured around; the of the thermostat, the internal pressure prosaid, floating valve member approximately duced between the diaphragms 33 and 34 at the center thereof, said ,diaphragms con-- .will. notbe'suflicient to resist the movement stitutinga frictionless support and guide for of the thermostat diaphragms and as they 'sald floating valve member and also a'cking operate the stem inayinstantly move with-' means for the open end of the said cham out-being retarded by the surrounding pa'ckher, a frame rigidly supported from said ing. It will be evident, therefore, that a valve housing, an adjusting; member carried floating valve member and movable toward by the frame in longitudinal aligmnent with the floating. valve member and movable toward and away therefrom, a thBITIlOSGIlSllZlVG diaphragm interposed between the adj usting member and the end of the floating valve member, the outer end of the valve stem being threaded and fitted with a nut, an expansion spring interposed between the nut and the fra e to assist in maintaining the floating val e member away from the valve opening when the thermosensitive diaphragm is ineffective.

3. A device of the character described comprising a valve housing having induction and eduction connections; an interme diate partition wall formed with a, tapered valve seat therethrough; a reciprocating valve stemfadapted to operate relative to said seat; said stem extending through a valve chamber in the housing, the outer end of which is opened; a packing diaphragm 'secured aroundthe mouth of said valve chamber; a second diaphragm secured to the marginal'edge 'ofsaid first diaphragm and through the center of which the valve stem extends and is secured; a casing for said diaphragm; a yoke member supported from said casing; an adjusting screw carried by said yoke and disposed in longi-' tudinal alignment with the central axis of the valve stem; anda thermostat diaphragm interposed between theend 'of the valve stem and the adjusting screw.

, 44A device of the character described valve seat therethrough;

comprising a valve housing having induction and eduction connections; an intermediate partition wall formed with a tapered a reciprocating valve stem adapted to operate relative to said seat; s aid stem-extending through a valve chamber in the housing, the outer end of which is-opened; a packing diaphragm secured around the mouth; of said valve chamber-;"a second diaphragm secured to the marginal edge of said first diaphragm and through the center of which the valve stem extends and is secured; a casing for said diaphragm; a yoke member supported from said casing; an adjusting screw carried by theyoke and disposed in longitudinal alignment with the central axis of the valve stem; a thermostat diaphragm interposed between the end of the valve stem and the adjusting screw; and means for-regulating the maximum lift of the valve stem from its seat.

5. A device of the character described comprising a valve housing having induction and eduction connections; an intermediate partition wall formed with a tapered valve seat therethrough; a reciprocating valvestem adapted to operate relative to said seat; said stem extending through a valve chamber in the housing, the outer end of which is opened; a packing diaphragm secured around the mouth of said valve chamber; a second diaphragm secured to the marginal edge of said first diaphragm and through the center of which the valve stem extends and is secured; a housing forsaid diaphragm; a yoke member supported from stem from its seat when the pressure of the 0 thermostat diaphragm is discontinued.

L THOMAS W. HUNTER. 

